The invention relates generally to welding systems, and more particularly to methods and apparatus to switch a weld power output.
Traditional single process welding systems support a variety of processes, such as metal inert gas (MIG) welding, tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, stick welding, and so forth, which may operate in different modes, such as constant current or constant voltage. Such welding systems typically include a single output connection and, therefore, are configured to support a single process at a time. In contrast to these single process welding systems, multi-process welding systems may connect to and support multiple processes at the same time.
In some applications, weld process specifications and/or other considerations may require a workpiece to be pre-heated to a particular temperature range prior to performing a weld on the workpiece. Workpiece heating devices, such as induction heating devices, can be powered using the same power supply used to perform the welding.